DEERFIELD BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Drivers in Deerfield Beach are about to see more school zone speed camera enforcement, with new cameras scheduled to activate starting January 5, 2026.
The city says the expansion is aimed at cutting down on speeding in the areas where students are walking, biking, and being dropped off, especially during the busiest parts of the school day. The new camera locations are tied to three elementary schools: Quiet Waters Elementary, Deerfield Beach Elementary, and Deerfield Park Elementary.
Unlike the old assumption that school zone enforcement only matters for a short window at the beginning and end of the day, the city’s program is designed to run throughout the entire school day. The exact active times depend on each school’s schedule, but the enforcement window is broader than what many drivers expect.
Under the program, a Notice of Violation can be issued if a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10 mph in a photo-enforced school zone during the allowable enforcement periods. The notice is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle and includes the date, time, location, and photographic evidence.
The city says the system is authorized under House Bill 657, a Florida law approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 31, 2023. The law allows the use of speed detection cameras in school zones throughout the school day, and Deerfield Beach has implemented the program for the 2024–2025 school year and beyond.
The city’s allowable enforcement periods include multiple time blocks tied to school operations: within 30 minutes before and through 30 minutes after the start of a breakfast program, within 30 minutes before and through 30 minutes after the start of the school session, during the full school session, and within 30 minutes before and through 30 minutes after dismissal.
Deerfield Beach’s posted enforcement hours by school include:
- Deerfield Beach High School (6:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.)
- Deerfield Beach Middle School (6:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.)
- Quiet Waters Elementary (7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
- Deerfield Beach Elementary (7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
- Deerfield Park Elementary (7:45 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.)
- Park Ridge Elementary (7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
- Tedder Elementary (7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.)
City officials are also reminding drivers that cameras are already operational at Tedder Elementary, Deerfield Beach Middle, and Deerfield Beach High.
The program uses the RedSpeed Photo Enforcement System. The city describes it as an automated approach meant to deter speeding and reduce crashes in school zones without relying solely on on-site traffic stops.
The city says the cameras capture specific data tied to an alleged violation, including photographic stills of the vehicle and license plate, plus the date, time, location, and recorded speed. It also says the data is encrypted and transmitted to a secure server, with digital signing intended to protect the chain of custody. Images and data are stored in a secure data vault, according to the city’s program description.
Notices of Violation are issued by a State of Florida traffic infraction enforcement officer employed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office or the City of Deerfield Beach, the city says.
If a registered owner receives a notice, the options include paying the fine within 30 days from the date of issuance or requesting a hearing within 30 days. The city says failure to respond within that window can lead to the issuance of a Florida Uniform Traffic Citation. The city also says a Notice of Violation is a civil penalty and does not affect a driver’s license, vehicle registration, or insurance.
For cases where the registered owner was not the driver, the city says the owner remains responsible unless they can show, through a written affidavit, that the vehicle was in the care, custody, or control of another person at the time, or that a law enforcement officer issued a traffic ticket for the same alleged violation.
The city says paid violations fully fund the photo enforcement system. It also outlines the $100 distribution as: $39 to the City of Deerfield Beach, $21 to Red Speed, $20 to the Florida Department of Revenue General Fund, $12 to the Broward County School District, $5 to a School Crossing Guard Recruitment and Retention Fund, and $3 to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement Training Fund.
For drivers, the message is straightforward: follow the posted speed limit, slow down earlier than you think you need to, and stay alert in the school zone during school hours. In these areas, the city is treating speeding as a safety issue first — and now, enforcement will be more consistent.
Source: City of Deerfield Beach — School Zone Camera Safety Program
